Draft success is usually accompanied by roster woes. Especially if you’re Ohio State, which just sent a total of 11 top players to the NFL. Among them are seven of DC Matt Patricia’s best defensive players, including names like Arvell Reese and Sonny Styles. That’s a major defensive void. But the only thing to do now is look ahead to what the Buckeyes have right now. 

The weight of filling that massive structural void falls heavily on the shoulders of veteran defensive line coach Larry Johnson. He knows Matt Patricia’s aggressive defensive scheme requires immediate plug-and-play physicality up front to function. Fortunately, Johnson found exactly the kind of SEC-tested muscle he needed from the portal this spring, bringing in former Alabama four-star defenders James Smith and Qua Russaw.

“I think he’s making a jump,” Larry Johnson said of James Smith. “It’s a work in progress in the sense that there’s a different culture here than there is at Alabama. He’s coming here, he’s learning new things, learning a new technique. It takes a while to learn that, because you have to lose the old habits and gain the new habits. Right now, he’s trying to learn how to play our way of doing things. Sometimes that takes time, but he’s making progress, and that’s the key.”

Raw statistics rarely tell the entire story for an interior lineman. While Smith’s 28 tackles and 2.5 sacks at Alabama might look modest on paper, those reps came inside a heavily rotated SEC defensive front. Now stepping into a featured role, he provides the exact disruptive backfield anchor this reshaped OSU defense desperately needs.

Qua Russaw isn’t there yet, but he’s what Larry Johnson needs. The thing is, Kenyatta Jackson is walking into 2026 as the main player. Everyone else is chasing him, including this Bama transfer who recorded two tackles, a hurry, and half a sack in the spring game. But Johnson talked about traits more than production. 

“He is very physically strong,” he said of Russaw. “He’s strong at the point of attack with his hands and body. It’s just amazing that a guy at 245 pounds can set the edge, and he brings great speed to the table…. I think the thing that jumps off the videotape is how hard he plays. And he really has the physical strength, and I think that’s the key to it.”

Qua Russaw’s problem isn’t ability. It’s a crowded room. He’s competing against names like Zion Grady, Epi Sitanilei, and Beau Atkinson. And Larry Johnson isn’t handing out roles.

“There’s a standard here,” he said. “There’s a standard for the rushmen, and that standard is that we have to be able to play hard every play. We’re going to run to the football, and that doesn’t take any talent.”

Qua Russaw’s raw power is undeniable, but his talent alone won’t guarantee him starting snaps in Columbus. He needs to adapt rather quickly to Johnson’s relentless standard. If he can translate his raw athletic traits into reliability, Russaw won’t just be another depth piece, but a foundational building block for Patricia’s rebuilt defense.

Matt Patricia saw draft glory turn to defensive uncertainty 

Matt Patricia has every reason to put his collar up. He just watched seven defenders whom he developed get drafted. He even posted about it, sharing a picture of those players. 

“Proud doesn’t begin to describe it! They put in all the hard work to get to this moment. Amazed by them all. Congrats!” he wrote on Instagram.

Ohio State sent Arvell Reese, Sonny Styles, and Caleb Downs in the first round, with Kayden McDonald and Davison Igbinosun going in the second round, Lorenzo Styles Jr. in the fifth, and Caden Curry in the following round. It shows Matt Patricia did something right as the DC. But success creates problems. 

Ohio State led the nation in scoring and total defense last season. The question now is, could they relive that? At least Matt Patricia is coming back. He’s signed a $3.75 million extension to have a similar run again. If James Smith becomes a disruptor and Qua Russaw turns flashes into production, this defense survives the turnover. If not, that void could bring questions.